A Review on the Establishment of Abortion Counseling System to Response on Pregnancy and Childbirth Crisis

As the perception on abortion changes into a social problem, it is high time to also change the notion of criminalizing abortion. This necessitates the creation of societal structures that will respond to it. This study aimed to review the abortion counseling system that responds to the pregnancy and childbirth crisis. We conducted a review of the literatures and documentations made available through search engines, including cases overseas. In addition, we analyzed the currently operating pregnancy and childbirth-related service systems and reviewed the issues being discussed in Korea regarding artificial abortion. Based on these analyses, we suggest steps that can be taken for the revision of the law as Constitutional Discordance determining on abortion clause of criminal law. In addition, we propose a plan to establish an appropriate abortion counseling system that will respond to the domestic pregnancy and childbirth crisis.

Abortion: reproductive choice or loss of reproduction?

This literature review of articles devoted to the problem of abortion and pre-abortion counseling has been carried out. The legal features of the development of the right to abortion at the request of a woman are outlined. The main stages in the development of the concept of perinatal psychology and pre-abortion counseling are described. The procedure for conducting pre-abortion counseling in the Russian Federation has been studied. The effectiveness of the existing algorithm was assessed and the prospects for further research aimed at studying and improving the effectiveness of pre-abortion counseling were outlined.

“What Should I Do with My Pregnancy?”: Psychological Counseling Strategies (As Reflected In Online Discussion)

The paper addresses the problem of psychological counseling provided to a woman trying to decide whether to keep her pregnancy or terminate it. The authors argue that in modern Russian psychological counseling practice dealing with abortion-related issues there are two main approaches: pre-abortion counseling (aimed at abortion prevention) and reproductive choice counseling (trying to make it possible for a woman to come to her own autonomic and responsible decision regarding her own future). The paper analyzes the strategies of psychological counseling on the issue of keeping or terminating the pregnancy. The data was obtained from open online consultations on a Russian professional psychological platform b17.ru. We analyzed 36 consultations that consisted of 1335 posts in general, including 295 posts from the professional counselors. Inductive content analysis and cluster analysis methods were applied. As a result, five strategies of psychological counseling were defined: transmitting negative attitudes to abortion, transmitting the acceptance of abortion, infantilizing of the client, rational analysis of the situation and regulating the client’s emotional state. The issues of assessing the consequences and the effectiveness of these strategies are discussed.

The Authentic Meaning of Free Speech

This article examines a common misconception regarding the scope of free speech in the context of abortion counseling. Specifically, a recent critique of pro-life legislation identifies an apparent contradiction between (1) requiring doctors to show an ultrasound and play a fetal heartbeat to a mother before providing her with an abortion and (2) not requiring crisis pregnancy centers to give women information on where they can procure an abortion. Giving a patient comprehensive information about the effects of a medical procedure (i.e., the death of the fetus) is a necessary element of obtaining informed consent. A pro-life intention behind such regulation neither invalidates the scientific relevance of the information nor forces a physician to provide medical advice with which he or she disagrees. In contrast, requiring a crisis pregnancy center to provide information on abortion resources changes the organization’s message to advertise practices it morally opposes.